The Land Where Continents Collided SOUTH ASIA The Land Where Continents Collided

Mountains and Plateaus Himalayan Mountains Divide Eurasian and Indian tectonic plates Mt. Everest Worlds Highest Peak 29,000 ft. Subcontinent Smaller Continent 1/5 of the world’s pop.

Northern Mountains Karakoram Mountains Created by collision of tectonic plates Himalayas 2 dozen peaks over 24,000 ft. Stretch 1,500 mi. Landlocked Nepal and Bhutan Hindu Kush Mountains West end of Himalayas Separate Pakistan from Afghanistan Khyber Pass Karakoram Mountains Northeast portion Home of K2

Southern Plateaus Smaller mountain ranges Vindhya Deccan Plateau Western Ghats Eastern Ghats Keep rain from reaching inteior

Rivers, Deltas, Plains Indo-Gangetic Plain Great Rivers Northern Indian Plain Lowland northern region of India Great Rivers Origins in Himalayas Indus Ganges Brahmaputra Meet Ganges Delta in Bay of Bengal

Fertile Plains Offshore islands Indo-Gangetic fertile farming region Alluvial plain Rivers flood banks Rivers provide irrigation, rich soil Offshore islands SRI Lanka The Subcontinent’s Tear Drop Maldives Archipelago Island group 1,200 small islands

Natural Resources Water and Soil Food through farming and fishing Transportation and Power Goods send down rivers Working on hydroelectric power Baspa-II

Forest Rainforests Nepal Deforestation (over cutting) Hardwood Teak Bamboo Sandalwood Nepal Pine Fir Softwoods Deforestation (over cutting) Soil erosion, flooding, landslides, loss of habitat

Minerals India India, Pakistan, Bangladesh Sri Lanka 4th in coal production Fulfills half its petroleum needs Iron ore deposits Mica - Key components for electrical equipment India, Pakistan, Bangladesh Natural Gas Uranium Sri Lanka Precious gems

Climate and Vegetation Climate Zones Six Zones Page 557 Monsoons Seasonal winds June through September Bring moist ocean air and heavy rain Highly unpredictable Cause severe damage and flooding Cyclone Violent storm Heavy wind and rain Low lying Bangladesh hit hardest

Vegetation: Desert to Rainforest Vegetation Zones Rainforest in tropical wet zone West coast of India and Bangledesh Highland Zone Northern India, Nepal, Bhutan Semi Arid Zone Deccan Plateau Pakistan-India Border Desert Little vegetation Tropical Wet and Dry Sri Lanka

Human-Environment Interaction Living along the Ganges Himalayas to the Bay of Bengal Home to 350 million people Sacred River (Hindi belief) Gangamai “Mother River” Brings life to its people Water has healing powers Varanasi Sacred site on Ganges Polluted River Millions of gallons Raw sewage Industrial waste Dead animals Cremated bodies

Polluted river continued Poisons, Deadly Bacteria and Toxins cause disease Stomach illness Typhoid Cholera Clean up efforts Sewage treatment plants Tough industrial regulations Not effective Mother Ganges will fix it

Controlling the Feni River River overflows Storm surges Floods coastal flatlands Fields, villages 1980’s propose dam Problems Mouth 1 mile wide High cost Bangladesh limited resources and technology

Cheap materials and low tech procedures People power Large pool of unskilled labor Hired Dutch engineers Cheap materials and low tech procedures Heavy mats of bamboo Reeds weighted with boulders Prevent erosion More boulders covered with clay Completing the Dam Concrete and brick on sides Road on top Largest Estuary Dam in South Asia Success bring hope for future